Tea – Theaceae.
Parts Used: Leaves.
Pharmacy name: black tea leaves – Theae nigrae folium (formerly: Folia Theae nigrae).
Botanical description. It is difficult to establish the original homeland of the tea bush. As a cultivated plant, it has been cultivated since ancient times in China, since the 18th century – in India and Sri Lanka, and since the 19th century – over vast areas in various parts of the globe. The tea bush can reach a height of 15 m, but the cultivated plantations are kept at a lower height so that it is easy to collect the leaves. Due to pruning, tea plants branch profusely. The leaves are glossy, dark green, oblong-ovate; their edges are distinctly serrate. The flowers are solitary, with 5-6 whitish petals and numerous yellow anthers, have a strong smell and reach 3 cm in diameter.
Collection and preparation. Collect the tops of young shoots with leaves. The collected leaves are withered in ventilated chambers and subjected to twisting. When twisting, cell sap is partially released, which causes fermentation. During the fermentation process, tea acquires its characteristic aroma, and catechins turn into a red tannin. After fermentation, the leaves are dried in hot air and the final product is ordinary black tea. To obtain green tea, the leaves are not fermented. To inactivate the enzymes, they are treated with pressurized water vapor and then dried. Active ingredients:caffeine (theine), theobromine, theophylline, tannins, flavonoids, aromatics and over 300 other compounds. Healing action and application. A tea lover is unlikely to consider black tea as a medicine, since for most people it is a tonic product, which is prepared in different ways. “Short tea” – an infusion, during the preparation of which there is a short extraction – acts more stimulating than “long tea”, that is, infused for longer. It turns out diametrically opposed to what one would expect, but it’s easy to explain. Caffeine is readily soluble in water and therefore, after a short infusion, it passes into a drink, while tannins are there only with a longer extraction. And they slow down the effects of caffeine. Along with the stimulating effect of caffeine, tannins can play a certain role in the treatment of diarrhea, so black tea can be called healing.
- Remedy for diarrhea: 1 teaspoon with the top of black tea, pour 1/4 liter of boiling water and hold open for at least 10 minutes. Dosage: 2-3 (up to 4) cups as needed or daily. If diarrhea persists for more than 2 days, you should consult a doctor.
Side effects are unknown, unless someone is intolerant of caffeine. Therefore, it is better to avoid overdosing.